50 AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW
Reclaiming American Patriotism
by Mickey Z
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Copyright © 2005 Mickey Z
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50 AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW
Reclaiming American Patriotism
by Mickey Z
Introduction: " Patriot Acts "
page .. 13
01 Thomas Paine adds fuel to the revolutionary fire
.. 16
02 The Bill of Rights
.. 18
03 Shays Rebellion
.. 21
04 Nat Turner puts the South on notice
.. 23
05 The Seminole-African alliance
.. 25
06 Lowell Mill Girls get organized
.. 28
07 St. Patrick's Battalion
.. 30
08 Thoreau lays the foundation for King and Gandhi
.. 33
09 Uncle Tom's Cabin moves America toward abolition
.. 35
10 Lizzie Jennings gets on the bus
.. 37
11 Coxey's Army marches to Washington
.. 40
12 Ida M. Tarbell and other "muckrakers"
.. 42
13 Emma Goldman spreads anarchy in the U.S.A.
.. 44
14 Jack Johnson wins the heavyweight crown
.. 46
15 Helen Keller opposes U.S. involvement in World War I
.. 50
16 Eugene Debs runs for president from prison cell
.. 53
17 Katherine Hepburn wears pants
.. 55
18 The Bonus Army demands justice
.. 57
19 Billie Holiday sings "Strange Fruit"
.. 60
20 The forgotten verses of ''This Land is Your Land"
.. 63
21 Dorothea Lange photographs Japanese-American internment camps
.. 65
22 Charlie Parker finds the pretty notes
.. 67
23 Branda's undershirt
.. 69
24 Lester Rodney helps break baseball's color line
.. 71
25 Jackson Pollock drips his way onto the cover of Life
.. 74
26 Salt of the Earth is filmed
.. 76
27 I. F. Stone goes Weekly
.. 79
28 Lolita Lebron and others attack Congress
.. 81
CONTENTS
29 Rachel Carson inspires the modern environmental movement
.. 8 3
30 Betty Friedan asks : "Is that all?"
.. 85
31 Ralph Nader writes Unsafe at Any Speed
.. 87
32 Naked Lunch is declared "not obscene"
. . 90
33 Lenny Bruce dies for our sins
.. 92
34 Muhammad Ali says "no" to military draft
.. 95
35 Cesar Chavez, UFW, and the grape boycott
.. 98
36 Hugh Thompson gets in the line of fire
.. 101
37 American Indians occupy Alcatraz Island
.. 104
38 Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists
. . 106
39 Stonewall
.. 110
40 Angela 's Afro
.. 112
41 Curt Flood challenges baseball's reserve clause
.. 115
42 Daniel Ellsberg leaks the Pentagon Papers
.. 117
43 Charles Bukowski quits his job at the post office
.. 121
44 Patti Smith uses rock and roll like a weapon
.. 123
45 Keith McHenry forms Food Not Bombs
.. 126
46 John Robbins makes all the connections
.. 129
47 Public Enemy fights the power
.. 131
48 The disability rights movement says: "Piss on pity"
.. 133
49 The Battle in Seattle
.. 136
50 Families of 9/11 victims say "no" to revenge
.. 139
References
.. 144
About the author
.. 154
I
INTRODUCTION
Patriot Acts
Employing weapons of mass instruction
We have two American flags always: one for the rich and one for the poor. When the rich fly, it means that
things are under control; when the poor fly, it means danger. revolution, anarchy
-
Henry Miller
Th ey're hoping soon my kind will drop and die / But I'm gonna wave my freak flag high.
-
Jimi Hendrix, "If 6 Was 9"
My wife Michele and I went to the Yankee game on May Day 2004 . They gave out free caps: "NY"
on the front, of course ... and a shiny patch on the back of the hat acknowledged the giveaway
day sponsor: Hess.
The House that Ruth Built became a moveable ad for oil (instant replays brought to you
by Dodge) .
The seventh inning stretch required fans to stand in honor of the "men and women in uniform"
who fight to "preserve our way of life." Fifty thousand removed their free caps, watched a digitized
flag wave on the big screen , and held the Hess patch over cholesterol-laden hearts while belting
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out "God Bless America," collectively choosing to ignore the blood being spilled to keep the world
safe for petroleum.
The Yankees won (as usual) and many of those fans promptly rushed out to drive home in their
ubiquitous SUVs ... adorned, of course, with the ubiquitous "support the troops" yellow ribbon sticker.
Surely I wasn't the only one contemplating this "my country right or wrong" concept of
patriotism .. . but just as surely, if I had articulated those feelings, some of my fellow Yankee fans
would have responded with hostility.
I know this from experience. For example, when I wrote an article about Pat Tillman that was
critical of the hero worship upon his death, many patriots sent e-mails that voiced sentiments like
this: "What really sickens me is that good people like Pat died so you can talk shit about him."
It seems what offends this breed of patriot most is when someone else actually exercises the
freedom they claim to adore.
To such folks, says author Michael Parenti, "America is a simplified ideological abstraction, an
emotive symbol represented by other abstract symbols like the flag . It is the object of a faithlike
devotion, unencumbered by honest history." For them, Parenti adds, "those who do not share in
this uncritical Americanism ought to go live in some other country."
From taking up arms against one's oppressor to using art and words as weapons of mass
instruction, the 50 episodes presented here celebrate a different form of patriotism ... one based
on challenging tradition and taking action . Whether inspired by personal conviction or a larger
social ambition , those featured herein chose the more difficult, non-conformist path . In a society
as heavily conditioned as ours, I submit such a choice is, in and of itself, a revolutionary act.
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Radical historian Howard Zinn tells us that a revolution is "an endless succession of surprises,
moving zigzag toward a more decent society." He explains: "We don't have to engage in grand,
heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of
people, can transform the world."
Patriot acts, if you will.
Noted zigzagger Ani DiFranco sings, "Beneath the good and the kind and the stupid and the cruel,
there's a fire just waiting for fuel. "
Consider this book my contribution of renewable energy .. .
n
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01
THOMAS PAINE ADDS FUEL
TO THE REVOLUTIONARY FIRE
We are often told actions speak louder than words but the life of
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) tells a different story. Born in
England, Paine found a home as resident radical in the
Colonies... his words inspiring a nation to independence.
Common Sense, written anonymously as a pamphlet in January
1776 and read by every member of Congress, sold roughly
500,000 copies. (To perform a similar feat today, an author
wou ld have to sell more than 46 million books.) It stirred
the spirits of colonial America by putting into words what
those seeking freedom from British rule had been feeling
for a long, long time.
Viewed through the prism of the twenty-first century, Common Sense reads , at times, like
something one might hear at a hokey school play:
0 ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant,
stand forth! Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath
been hunted round the globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her. Europe
regards her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to depart. 0!
receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum for mind.
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But, dated vernacular aside, Paine does make clear what he is trying to provoke, e.g. "I have never
met with a man , either in England or America, who hath not confessed his opinion, that a
separation between the countries, would take place one time or other. And there is no instance in
which we have shown less judgment, than in endeavoring to describe, what we call, the ripeness
or fitness of the Continent for independence."
Common Sense popularized the concept that even a good government is, at best, a necessary
evil. Paine effectively demonized King George Ill and argued against a small island nation like
England ruling a continent on the other side of the ocean. Perhaps most importantly, Common
Sense painted a post-independence picture of peace and prosperity. More so than the battles at
Lexington and Concord, which preceded the release of Paine's influential pamphlet, it was
Common Sense that served as the spark to light the revolutionary flame.
Even though Paine, denounced as a drunken atheist, died in poverty, his legacy remains secure.
Common Sense is the precursor to all revolutionary manifestoes.
n
TIM ELINE:
March 31, 1776: Abigail Adams writes her husband John: "Remember, all men would be tyrants if they
could . If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a Rebellion ,
and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws by which we have no voice or Representation."
September 3, 1783: The Treaty of Paris is signed , formally ending the war for independence.
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02
THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Amendments 1-10 of the Constitution: Ratified on December 15, 1791
The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution,
expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further
declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public
confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in
Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following articles be
proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the
United States; all or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures,
to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, namely:
Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech , or of the press; or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right
of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed .
Amendment Ill: No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the
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consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be
prescribed by law.
Amendment IV: The right of the people to be
secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects,
against
unreasonable
searches
and
seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall
issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or
affirmation , and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized .
Amendment V: No person shall be held to answer for a
capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a
presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases
arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in
actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any
person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be
compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without
just compensation .
Amendment VI: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and
public trial , by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been
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committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have
compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for
his defense.
Amendment VII: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty
dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise
reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed
to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. n
TIMELINE:
June 11, 1776: Congress appoints a committee to compose a declaration of independence.
1783: Noting the Bill of Rights proclamation that "all men are created equal ," the Massachusetts Supreme
Court outlaws slavery in that state.
50 ｉｴｾ＠
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03
SHAYS REBELLION
Long before the cries of "support the troops" became commonplace during every U.S. military
intervention, the powers-that-be made it clear how much they intended to follow their own advice.
"When Massachusetts passed a state constitution in 1780, it found few friends among the poor
and middle class, many of them veterans from the Continental Army still waiting for promised
bonuses," explains historian Kenneth C. Davis. To add to this, excessive property taxes were
combined with polling taxes designed to prevent the poor from voting. "No one could hold state
office without being quite wealthy," Howard Zinn adds. "Furthermore, the legislature was refusing
to issue paper money, as had been done in some other states, like Rhode Island, to make it easier
for debt-ridden farmers to pay off their creditors."
Perhaps heeding the advice of Thomas Jefferson that ·a little rebellion" is necessary,
Massachusetts farmers fought back when their property was seized due to lack of debt
repayment. Armed and organized , their ranks grew into the hundreds. Local sheriffs called out the
militia .. . but the militia sided with the farmers. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
indicted eleven members of the rebellion . Those who had so recently fomented revolt were no
longer tolerant of such insurrection.
Enter Daniel Shays (1747-1825): Massachusetts farmer and former Army captain. He chose not to
stand by idly as battle lines were being drawn and friends of his faced imprisonment. In September
1786, Shays led an army of some 700 farmers, workers, and veterans into Springfield . "Onetime
21
I
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radical Sam Adams, now part of the Boston Establishment, drew up a Riot Act," says Davis,
"allowing the authorities to jail anyone without a trial. " Shays' army swelled to more than 1000 men.
Writing from Paris, Jefferson offered tacit approval for, at least, the concept of rebellion . Closer to
home, the American aristocracy was less than pleased . Sam Adams again : "In monarchy, the
crime of treason may admit of being pardoned or lightly punished , but the man who dares rebel
against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death."
In a classic shape-of-things-to-come scenario, Boston merchants pooled money to raise an army
to be led by General Benjamin Lincoln , one of George Washington's war commanders. Clashes
were fierce but the outnumbered rebels were on the run by winter. Most were killed or captured .
Some were hanged while others, including Shays, were eventually pardoned in 1787.
Shays died in poverty and obscurity but the rebell ion he helped lead not only served as an
example of radical patriotism, it resulted in some concrete reforms including, as Davis states, "the
end of direct taxation , lowered court costs, and the exemption of workmen's tools and household
necessities from the debt process."
9
TIMELINE:
1788: Mercy Otia Warren is the only woman to take part in the public debate over the proposed Constitution .
She called it a "many-headed monster."
1794: Pennsylvania farmers revolt against a whiskey tax. George Washington rid es out with 13, 000 men to put
down the rebellion .
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